adjective
- relating to or involving the breaking of a chemical bond in such a way that each atom retains one electron, forming two radicals
Usage: chemistry; technical
Examples
- Homolytic cleavage of the C-C bond produces two free radicals.
- The homolytic dissociation of chlorine molecules is important in photochemistry.
- Under UV light, homolytic bond breaking can initiate a chain reaction.
- Homolytic fission differs from heterolytic fission in electron distribution.
- The homolytic mechanism is common in free radical chemistry.